Ex-city manager hospitalized with self-inflicted gunshot wound

By
Mitch Hotts, The Macomb Daily

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Former St. Clair Shores City Manager Ben Hughes was rushed to the hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the shoulder in an apparent suicide attempt and was in surgery Wednesday night, two people with knowledge of the incident told the Macomb Daily.

Hughes, who resigned from his $115,000-a-year position on Nov. 1, was found in a wooded area of the Brittany Park apartments off Shook Road east of Interstate 94 in Harrison Township about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. A shotgun was found nearby, according to police.

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham, without naming the person, said deputies were called to the complex by a maintenance worker who saw a man walking and carrying a shotgun. A few moments later, the maintenance worker discovered a man suffering a gunshot wound and called 911.

“The worker saw a man get out of a car in the parking lot of the complex carrying a shotgun,” Wickersham said. “He watched him walk behind one of the buildings. The worker went behind the building to see what the man was doing and found him on the ground. The individual is undergoing surgery right now.”

Harrison Township fire Lt. Jason Groth said paramedics worked on the shooting victim at the scene and then rushed him to the emergency room. Hughes’ condition at McLaren Macomb medical facility in Mount Clemens could not be confirmed late Wednesday, but people familiar with the situation say it’s possible he will lose a portion of his arm.

Wickersham said detectives were at the hospital and also were conducting an inventory of the subject’s car but had not located a suicide note. He believed the shotgun was owned by the subject.

Hughes, 38, abruptly resigned last week after the St. Clair Shores City Council met in closed session for about 90 minutes to conduct a personnel evaluation. He had been working without a contract since his agreement expired in October. It was the third time the council had met in private to review the manager’s status.

Council members agreed to provide him with a severance package that included four months salary and six months of health insurance, according to City Attorney Robert Ihrie.

City officials could not be reached for comment on Wednesday evening.

Although Hughes’ departure was termed a resignation, there was speculation that he was forced to quit due to strained relations with some council members and department heads over a variety of issues. He reportedly had recently talked with Grosse Pointe Shores City Manager Mark Wollenweber -- a former St. Clair Shores city manager -- as he looked for work in southeastern Michigan.

“Oh my Lord,” said Jim Goodfellow, a longtime St. Clair Shores homeowner and council observer, when informed of the shooting. “Ben Hughes is a true gentleman. This is horrible to hear.”

Hughes and his wife, Rachel Westergren, are expecting their first child in January.

Hughes, who frequently told reporters he had considered a career in journalism, held a bachelor’s and master’s degree in public administration. His family is from the Dearborn area.

He came to St. Clair Shores after serving as city administrator during a scandal in Racine, Wis. The mayor there who had been instrumental in hiring him was forced to resign after being accused of child sexual assault charges and Hughes was the subject of two sexual harassment suits. In the harassment cases, the city filed responses indicating the complaints were filed by disgruntled employees with poor work performances.